Beijing:
Fatima Bhutto, the estranged niece of former Pakistan Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, has attacked dynastic politics of her family saying it has destroyed democracy in her country.
In a surprise interview with a Chinese state-run TV channel, Fatima said she has no second thoughts about her decision not to contest elections despite her cousins emerging as political heirs of the Bhutto legacy.
The candid interview comes just days after her cousins and daughters of Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari - Bakhthawar and Asifa visited China.
Even their brother and Chairman of the ruling PPP Bilawal Bhutto Zardari arrived in Chinese city Nanning yesterday to attend a Conference on 'Development and People's Access'.
"Dynasty is fundamentally incomparable with the democracy and they are opposites. While dynasty is exclusive, democracy is inclusive. Democracy inspires participation. Dynasty enforces closed policy. Democracy is all about creative differences, tolerance for the unknown and dynasty is all about self", she told CCTV channel.
Fatima said she would stick to her decision "even more because what we see in Pakistan in 60 odd short years is that dynasty has destroyed the political culture of the country".
During his last visit to Beijing, Zardari surprised Chinese President Hu Jintao by walking in for talks with Bakhthawar and Asifa saying that the gesture was meant to inspire new generation of Pakistanis to continue "all weather friendship" with China.
Fatima's interview surprised analysts as Chinese official media rarely covered leaders critical of Pakistan's ruling establishment.
In her frank interview, which confined to her views on dynastic and violent politics in her country, Fatima said politics of assassination were also becoming a bane for Pakistan and the region.
Asked whether she is worried about her life, as her grandfather, father and aunt were killed, Fatima said "my father, my aunt and my uncle and grandfather, if you look at it, it is not just Pakistan, it is not the family and I worry because eventually people become complacent and they see it as normal.
"Part of that makes it frightening in Pakistan that people tend to be quite and absorb violence quietly and that is something that frightens. You should never keep quite", she said.
Fatima said Pakistan required democracy to develop. "Pakistan is a rich country. It has oil gas, copper mines and diamond mines. It grows food it needs for its people. My hope for the country is that one day the resources will be in the hands of the people whom it belong to. For myself, I hope stay in Pakistan", she said.
In a surprise interview with a Chinese state-run TV channel, Fatima said she has no second thoughts about her decision not to contest elections despite her cousins emerging as political heirs of the Bhutto legacy.
The candid interview comes just days after her cousins and daughters of Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari - Bakhthawar and Asifa visited China.
Even their brother and Chairman of the ruling PPP Bilawal Bhutto Zardari arrived in Chinese city Nanning yesterday to attend a Conference on 'Development and People's Access'.
"Dynasty is fundamentally incomparable with the democracy and they are opposites. While dynasty is exclusive, democracy is inclusive. Democracy inspires participation. Dynasty enforces closed policy. Democracy is all about creative differences, tolerance for the unknown and dynasty is all about self", she told CCTV channel.
Fatima said she would stick to her decision "even more because what we see in Pakistan in 60 odd short years is that dynasty has destroyed the political culture of the country".
During his last visit to Beijing, Zardari surprised Chinese President Hu Jintao by walking in for talks with Bakhthawar and Asifa saying that the gesture was meant to inspire new generation of Pakistanis to continue "all weather friendship" with China.
Fatima's interview surprised analysts as Chinese official media rarely covered leaders critical of Pakistan's ruling establishment.
In her frank interview, which confined to her views on dynastic and violent politics in her country, Fatima said politics of assassination were also becoming a bane for Pakistan and the region.
Asked whether she is worried about her life, as her grandfather, father and aunt were killed, Fatima said "my father, my aunt and my uncle and grandfather, if you look at it, it is not just Pakistan, it is not the family and I worry because eventually people become complacent and they see it as normal.
"Part of that makes it frightening in Pakistan that people tend to be quite and absorb violence quietly and that is something that frightens. You should never keep quite", she said.
Fatima said Pakistan required democracy to develop. "Pakistan is a rich country. It has oil gas, copper mines and diamond mines. It grows food it needs for its people. My hope for the country is that one day the resources will be in the hands of the people whom it belong to. For myself, I hope stay in Pakistan", she said.
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